Automatic train-pipe connecter



June 19, 1928. 1,674,521 J. ROBINSON l AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTERFiled Sept. 6, 19211 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June19,'192s. 1,674,521 y Y J.RQBlNsoN AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Filed sept. 1921 2 sheets-sheet2 y F165 I I'G- Patented .lune 19k, 1928),..

JOSEPH ROBINSON, 0F MORISTOWN, NEW JRSEY.

' AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTER.

'Application filed September 6, V1921.' Serial No. 498,794;

`T he art of automatic train pipe connecters discloses that I havedeveloped and refined a type of connecter which comprises as itsprincipal features a supporting bracket for r November 6, 1917 exemplifyina` general way connector means of the class above referred to, andluy/pending application, Serial No.flflm filed March 9, 1920 disclosesthe special form of connector to which the improvements hereinafter setforth are directly related, the same being applicable, however, toothergeneral typesl of connecters as will become apparent later on when mypresent invention is understood.

In the construction to which I have referred, I utilize a means forattaching or tying the buffer spring of the'connecter to the supportingbracket, allowingthe desired universal movement of the coupling `memberand its head, which tying means has a special connection with thebracket by a bearing which prior to this invention has been oneinvolving lmovability ofV the tying means relatively to the bracket.Since my buffer and holding spring is under Aconsiderable compressionnormally and greater compreswish to obviate,

sion in the operation of the connecter under varying conditions ofservice in practice, the` said bearing is necessarily one that generatesa very considerable amount ofl friction under stresses. Naturally theforegoing has a tendency to detract somewhat from the greatestliexibility and freedom of action f greatly to be desired,`a difficultywhich I and at the same time obtain y other advantages thatV will beapparent to 'those versed in the art. f v

Vith the 'foregoing in mind, the` aim of my present invention has beento designa connecter affording the required y universal movement of thecoupling member relative to the supporting bracket therefor, involv inga tying member for the buffer ,spring having a frictionless or immovablebearing upon the bracket element. More yspecilically speaking, Iyutilize a means of this Vsort c .onsisting of a flexible body equippedwith a bearingelement in the zone of universal movement of the couplingmember and cooperating with lthe bracket, and wholly iinmovablerespecting the same. This element is also equipped with suitable meansfor engaging the springfor thev purposesstated, and as a most simple,practical and prefer'- able means useful for the purposesl of my yinvention, I use a cable section, the inherent flexibilty of which isespecially advantageous to enable the universal movementv of thecoupling member and its head notwithstanding the immobility of thebearing ele-V ment of said cable section respecting the bracket withwhich it is engaged.

I do not wish, however, to be yunderstood'` as 'confining myself to theemploymentyof g 1,674,521 UNITEDl s'ra'res' PATENT oFFICE.

a flexible' cablesection in the vforegoing con- ,f

nection for it iswithin the range of my 'im venti'on to employ othermeans of an equivalent nature so' long as the bearing'portion or elementprovided therefor does not have movable contact with the bracketsupport.

My linvention in itsl preferred embodiments is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which z-j Figure 1 is a side elevation of atrain pipe connecter and means for supporting the same uponacar,depicting the cable section form ofthe tying member, or connectionintermediate the bracket, spring, and coupling member parts.V Y i Figure2 is a horizontal section through the coupling, the coupling headomitted.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower portion of the bracket inrear elevation, the cable connection beingl shown in section.

`Figure 4 isvaxsection taken about on the l line 4-4 of'Figure 2, thesupporting bracket l partly brokeny away.

Since the train pipecoupling mea-nsl to which my invention relates 1s inthe mam of a construction commonly m use and known as theRobinsonfconnecter I shall not de-Y ing bracket B. The train pipeyconnecter I.

proper is comprisedof the coupling `mem-A bery C, having at its frontend the coupling head D, andrprovided at its rear end with. i

the cooperating buffer spring- E. rlrhe coupling' member() consistsprimarily of the pipe l from which leads off the conduit Q, anda bodyportion which includes the spaced sides or straps 3. At its rear end themember C is formed with a projection or abutment a: adapted to bearagainst tliei'ear side of the bracket B at the lower end of the latter,the spring E engaging with a reduction or shoulder il of saidabutmentil.

Thelower end of the bracket B is notched or recessed 'at' opposite sidesVasLshown best at Fl in ig`. 3 the recessed portions are adaptedv tovslidingly receive the sides Vor straps 3 of the coupling member C. Theparts B, C and l1 are held in proper assembledpostions as shown, bynieans yof the connection tie member (5,' thc form of which is theessential featureof this invention. Thesaid tiev member G preferablyconsists of' af cable section at the front end of which is provided thebearing, enlargement, or head 7, 'seep Fig. 2, said head C7 being madepreferably by separating the strands of the cable andfnioulding a toughmetalV thereinto as yshown, saidfmet'albeingpreferably bronze ormalleable iron, for example. At its rear end 4the 4cable or tie member(5` is looped through they eye off an eye-bolt 8, and the extremityofthe cable is clamped to the body by a suitable clamp 9, or otherwisefastened, this' being an immaterial detail. A nut ,LO with| suitablebearing elementll to engage thefiearcnid of thesp'ring E is adapted tobe screwed on tlie 'eye-bolt 8, and the said bolt is la'ttened at SaitoVreceivea Spanner wrench for holding the bolt against rotation when thenut lOv'is screwedl to' compress the spring E. To assemble the severalparts of this connector, thebracket B is turned properly andinserted atits lower end' between the straps 3 of the member C, and then given aquarter rotation to assume the relation illustrated most clearly inFigs. 2 and, el. Thereafter, the tie member G is passed. through theaperture 12'betwe`en the recesses 5 of the bracket andthe aperture l ofthe abutment il," and its end fastened to the eye-bolt@ as by the means9', or otherwise. Then the spring E is emplaced so that it bears` at oneend against the rear end or; abutment iof the coupling mei'nbcr C, andthe nut 10 is screwed on the bolt 8 suiliciently to the spring to theproper state of compression. l

`ltiwill be levident from the foregoing that when the parts are thusassembled, free universal lmovement of the member C and its headl),relatively to the bracket E is permitted, During any such movement thetie member or connection 6 is free to laterally in all directions yfromthe point of its bearing against the bracket B, (which ingl is obviouslyin the Zone of said universal movement), it being evident that said.bearing is established by the seating of the head 7 of the tie member ina recess 1.3 on the front side of the lower end of the bracket. Therecess 13 is concentric, practically speaking, with respect to theopening 12, and the corresponding opening 4 in the rear end or abutmentAportion fl of the member C. During any such universal movement of themember C and supported parts, the head 7 is immovable or stationary, andtherefore thereis no friction generated between the parts 6 andB, andconsequently no possibility of wear at this particular point. Thedisplaceability ofthe head 7 is not interfered with, so the advantagesof the devicev as regai-ds case of assemblage, adjustment, etc., arefully preserved. i Y The coupling member and certain supported parts areslidable back and forth on the bracket B, and otherwiseA movable, withthe straps or sides 3 operating in yprincipal contact with the lowerwalls of the recesses 5. ln view of the aboveconstruction there is nopossibility of the coupling' member C lcwi ering and causing abrasion orrubbing with respect to the tie member; nor is there cntailed anylikelihood of sagging of the tie member by the weight of the couplinghead resting thereon orf engaging therewith.

Having thus described my inventionfwlnit I claim new is: y

1. In a train pipe connecter of ther/lass described, a supportingbracket, `conpling member, and buffer spring assembly, 'in which thecoupling member. aI bearing against the bracket, tying means toholdtheparts of saidassembly in properrelatipn comprising a part co-acting withthe spring and bracket and Vhziving a, bearing 'at the side of thebracket opposite the spring and stationary against the bracket duringthe normal operation of the connecter.

'2'. A connecter substantially as described in claim 1 in which thetying member is a flexible part.

3. A bracket, bufferl spring andcoupling member assembly for wherein thecoupling member has universal movement relatively to thebracket,combined with a connecting part tying the elements of the assemblytogether but permitting the train pipe connecters,

movement stated, 4the connecting part comprising a flexible body havingbearings against the spring and the bracket so formed and arranged as tobe stationary relatively tothe springl and bracket at the., points ofsaid bearingduring normal operationy of the connecter.

il. In a train pipe connecter, a supporting bracket, coupling meansincluding a coupling member mounted on said bracket for` relativeuniversal movement and having a bearing at lone'side of the bracket,spring engaging the coupling member to hold it in 'alining position onthe bracket, andl a cable sectioncon'nected at one end with the springand engaged at the other end with the bracket.

5. A connecter as claimed in claim 7 in which the cable section isstationary at the point of its engagement with the bracket during normaloperation ofthe connecter but displaceable at said point. f

6. In a train pipe connecter, the combination with a supportingbracketrhaving recessed sides, of a coupling member comprising spacedstraps received in the recesses of said sides, having universalLmovement therein, and supported from downward movement thereby, aspring engaging the coupling member to hold the same engaged with thebracket at one side of the latter, and a tie member connected at onevendwith the spring and having a bearing at the opposite side ol' thebracket that is stationary during` normal operation of the connecter.

7. In a train pipe connecter, the combinationoil a bracket, a couplingmember universally movable thereon, and connecting means between the twoincluding a spring holding the coupling member engaged with one side ofthe bracket, a cable tie member for tying the spring, bracket, andcoupling'v member together in operative relation, ad-

justable means connecting the tie member and spring 'for varying thecompression of the latter, and including a portion for holding the tiemember against rotation during the adjustment, and a bearingintermediate the tie member and bracket.

8. In a train pipe connecter, a supporting bracket, coupling meansincluding ay cou- `pling member mounted on said bracket for relativeuniversal movement and having a bearing at one side of the bracket, aspring engaging the coupling member to hold itin alining position on thebracket, and a cable section connected at one end with the spring and`engaged at the other end with the bracket, the cable section'beingformed with a hardened bearing enlargement at the point of engagementwith the bracket.

9. In a train pipe connecter of the class described, a bracket, acoupling device, the two comprising relatively movable parts permittinguniversal movement of the Acoupling device, and the coupling deviceincluding a buli'er spring for the customary purposes of suchconnecters,y and means to tie said spring to the bracket comprising asingle member attached to the spring, naving a bearing on the bracketxedagainst movement incident to movements of the cou? pling device, thetying means consisting of Icoupling device under service conditions.

10. Inv apparatus `of the class described. the combination, with acoupling member and a supporting bracket therefor, of a spring engagingone of said parts and having a connection with the other for stressingthe coupling member toward an operative position, said connection of thespring being flexible throughout its length and of greater Hexibilitythan the spring.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

Jos'nrn ROBINSON;

